London, UK – Following the November 2015 release of the critically acclaimed CD “Madison Park” by The RAZ Band, Gonzo Multimedia has just released “The Best of RAZ”. This career spanning CD takes the listener on RAZ’s thirty two year musical journey and features songs beginning with Raz’s critically acclaimed 1984 debut record, “Criminals Off The Streets” through Gonzo’s 2015 release of “Madison Park”.

This 19 song CD also includes songs from the albums, “The Best of L.A 1987”, the “RAZ” album, “1988’, Raz’s cassette EP “Listen” produced by Joey Molland, the “Tough Love” CD produced by Joe Vitale, the “It’s All About Me” CD produced by Michael Raz, Jeff Hutchinson, Joe Vitale & Joey Molland, plus 2 bonus tracks recorded, Live in 1984 at the legendary Los Angeles nightclub, Madame Wong’s West.

“I met the Raz almost 40 years ago and he’s been knocking me out ever since. The truth is in the songs, I don’t think he ever had an idea outside of that idea, so I started playing on his sessions like a lot of other people, we’ve done gigs separate and together for all those years and here we are with our first record deal, thanks Gonzo, hello world, will anything ever be the same? Sure it will, ‘cept you’ll have The RAZ Band to make sure”. – Joey Molland

“Raz came to some of the Joe Walsh shows and my solo shows I did as far back as the early 70’s…we’ve been friends ever since…both personally and musically! We’ve recorded a ton of GREAT Raz originals and yes… miracles can happen…in this century… A RECORD DEAL! Well, being a couple of devoted Beatles fans, we have a similar sense of ‘song’… the RAZ catalogue is massive, current and rockin’! They are ALL fun grooves and great lyrics!!! It’s GREAT to introduce The RAZ Band to the world!” – Joe Vitale

Tracks:
The Boy
Say Ya Love Me
Time Marches On
Back in the Shadows
Merlyn
Down at the Gulf
Simon Said
The Tattoo Song
Tough Love
Buck-it
Naked on the Floor
Sitting on my Bed
I Said To My Self: Self
Cars and Girls
$ 1.50 For Your Love
What Love Can Do
Searching Forever
The Times Together
The Boy

Here’s what the press have been saying about The RAZ Band’s “Madison Park”:

“Excellent Authentic Mind-Blowing Rock and Roll! ‘What Love Can Do’ goes on boiling electric guitars, and heck you’d think it’s an introduction by Guns n Roses. ‘Say Ya Love Me’ is one of my preferred, with ROXY Music background in it’s infancy, but having taken a ROXY vitamin. Even the punk is present with the disorienting ‘You Don’t Know A Thing’, The Ramones could not have done better, everything is completed at supersonic speed. A great rock band in 2016, it still exists moving you like an electro shock.” – Jean-Pierre Schrickle, Highlands Magazine

“For the first time in years an album makes me feel so impressed that I need to listen to the songs several times in sequence, and I do not get tired of doing it. Madison Park is for me the best album of the year 2015.” – Airton Diniz Editor, Roadie Crew Magazine

“ ‘Madison Park’ is a phenomenal album from start to finish and one in which the Raz Band shines in terms of performance and originality. You have been hijacked to pop heaven.” – Lisa Torem, PennyBlack Music

“The band is good, and the album is packed with power pop and, rock & roll. This gets 5 out of 5 Music Guru Stars. Enjoy!” – Music Guru Radio

“Three decades on the scene haven’t diminished this ensemble’s ability to build a robust kind of rock ‘n’ roll, with vigor and simplicity unburdened by extra exquisiteness but not without an arresting flourish. There’s no escaping the music’s mirth. Anything can happen, including a charts dent – it’s that good.” – Dmitry M. Epstein, Let It Rock

“ ‘Madison Park’ is an excellent new work, catch this band. There is more than enough variety in the songs and the whole production was realized by the special contribution of Joey Molland and Joe Vitale.” – Alfons Maes, Keys & Chords

“ ‘Madison Park’ is a beautifully produced collection of rock from The Raz Band. Good time from start to finish ,the album is a fun packed selection of tunes that keeps you singing along and grooving around the house.” – Terrascope UK

“ ‘Madison Park’ is an album with songs that make you feel good.” – Eric Schuurmans, Roots Time

“This is the kind of stuff you see in a club live that finds you not minding paying the babysitting some over time. Hot stuff throughout.” – midwestrecord.com

“True songs of rock ‘n’ roll, with attitude,feeling and melody. The Raz Band are indeed in great form and sign a beautiful drive.” – Pedro Carvalho, Via Noctuma

“The Raz Band’s brand new album is a wonderful collection of music. This diverse collection of music, has tremendous production and contains an incredible 16 songs.” – Russell Trunk, Exclusive Magazine

“The melodiousness always offered in the songs run at almost every opportunity and let yourself entertained. Play therefore recommended , because this disc from The Raz band has to offer many strengths.” – Markus Kerren, Rock Times (*me•lo•di•ous adj. 1. Of, relating to, or containing a pleasing succession of sounds; tuneful.)

“The rock sound is deeply rooted in the 1960s and ’70s. In addition, the pop component is heavily weighted. THE RAZ BAND satisfied in all respects with platitudes and simple rock-pop fare that is still sorely inspired by the Fab Four.” – http://www.music-scan

“The RAZ Band have been performing for over thirty years and have included some of classic rock’s elite as it’s members.” – JPS Music Blogspot

​​Los Angeles – The R​AZ Band have been toiling in the rock and roll vineyard for longer than you might think. ​Dedicated to the coolest place to ever grow up, ​t​he release of Madison Park introduces ​T​he RAZ Band to ​a wider ​mainstream audience ​a​nd ​is their breakout album. Band leader Michael ​Raz Rescigno says: “​I’m excited to get our newest album​,​​ ​’Madison Park’ out. ​It’s a​​ diverse​ collection of music from the last ​few years of our lives. With the tremendous production of​ ​band​ members Joey Molland and Joe Vitale, ​we ​​are looking forward to​​ ​sharing ​our mus​ic with the world.”

The album ​is ​dedicated to the ​New Jersey ​town where ​Raz and his musical partner Hutch grew up. Raz recalls, “Madison Park was a great place to grow up and we have many happy memories from that time of our lives​.​ With that in mind we​ ​created an album that when someone hears it for the first time, the music already feels familiar. Songs that make you smile. ​Music​ that you’ll want to listen to over and over.”​

​This is ​the first Raz ​album created with music legends Joey Molland (Badfinger) & Joe Vitale (Joe Walsh/Crosby, Stills & Nash/The Eagles) as ​full ​band members. While​ they’ve been recording​ together​ for years, this is the first album that was planned to be a​ RAZ​ ​Band album and not a RAZ album, hence, “The RAZ Band”.
​
​The catalyst that led to the Madison Park album was a ​RAZ ​show​ at The Whisky​ A Go Go​ in Hollywood. Their guest performers were Joey Molland,(Badfinger), Gary Duncan,(Quicksilver Messenger Service) & Carla Olson, (The Textones). Raz​ recalls​, “Whenever Joey Molland ​came to​ LA we ​would ​record​​ RAZ songs. This time we recorded Joey’s great song, ‘Love Me Do’ from the amazing Badfinger album ‘No Dice’. To add to the fun, Gary Duncan was able to join us for this ​recording ​session.

​”When ​Joe Vitale ​came ​back​ to ​LA, ​​ RAZ ​went​ into the studio to record. “We recorded a new song that we wrote, ‘$1.50 For Your Love’. ​​After cutting the back tracks with scratch vocals, Vitale said, ‘This song is a hit song, and let me tell you, I know what a hit song is’. And of course he does, he co-wrote ‘Rocky Mountain Way’ with Joe Walsh.

“A couple days later we ​went​ back into the studio with Vitale and recorded another one of our favorite songs, ‘Shoot ‘Em Up’. This is from Joe Vitale’s great album, ‘Roller Coaster Weekend’.

“Fast​ forward​ a couple of years and we recorded ​many ​other songs I had been writing​,​​ including a very cool new version of ‘Time Marches On’ from the album ,’The Best of Los Angeles 1987′. We recorded some oldies that Hutch & I loved as kids​.​ We recorded twenty five songs in all. ‘Madison Park’ shows many sides of the RAZ musical spectrum and it was made with lots of love and laughs and aha moments.”

“I met the ​Raz almost 40 years ago and he’s been knocking me out ever since, the truth is in the songs, I don’t think he ever had an idea outside of that idea, so I started playing on his sessions like a lot of other people, we’ve done gigs separate and together for all those years and here we are with our first record deal, thanks Gonzo, hello world, will anything ever be the same? sure it will, ‘cept you’ll have the RAZ band to make sure.” – Joey Molland

“​Raz came to some of the Joe Walsh shows and​ my​ solo shows I did as far back as the early 70’s….we’ve been friends ever since…both personally and musically! We’ve recorded a ton of GREAT Raz originals and yes…miracles can happen….in this century….A RECORD DEAL! Well, being a couple of devoted Beatles’ fans, we have a similar sense of ‘song’….the RAZ catalogue is massive, current and rockin’! They are ALL fun grooves and great lyrics!! It’s GREAT to introduce the RAZ band to the world!” – J Vitale

“The influence of Badfinger can also be seen on Rescigno’s musical style: Bright and catchy Pop as pure as it comes.” – Jay Lustig, The East Coast Rocker

“RAZ is moving up the charts…A RAZ is a RAZ is a RAZ!” – Variety Magazine

“​It’s been said that Los Angeles is the musical capital of the world-no arguments here. Well if you have any doubts, check out ‘The Best of Los Angeles 1987, Produced by Michael Raz Rescigno’” – Kevin Coogan, Cashbox Magazine

​In early 2016 ​Gonzo MultiMedia will be releasing “The Best of RAZ”​. Followed by the release of “Razfinger” in the spring. The RAZ Band with Joey Molland & Joe Vitale are planning to perform in Englan​d​​​ and elsewhere ​in 2016 and record a live CD and DVD.

In closing Raz has this to impart, “Live your life. If you truly believe it, you can ​accomplish​ what​ever​ ​it is that ​you want​ to accomplish​. Only you can stop you. Have fun, time marches on, so enjoy it​. Even when it’s hard to do, look for something uplifting​, something positive​. Try to be giving. Like John Lennon said, ‘All You Need Is Love’.”